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Dave Evans of Wartrace, a major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, says he will make a formal announcement of his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the next 60 days.
"Incumbent Liberal Democrat Congressman Bart Gordon today demonstrated once again why it's time for the voters of Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District to vote him out of office in 2010," said Evans in a news release on Wednesday. "Bart Gordon voted in lock step today along with Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and Henry Waxman in favor of the pork laden wasteful spending bill known as the 'Stimulus Plan.' The bill's $825 billion of spending and over $300 billion in future interest on the debt necessary to finance the bill brings the total cost to $1.1 trillion."
The bill passed the House by a vote of 244-188. All 177 Republicans and 11 Democrats, including former Shelbyville resident Rep. Jim Cooper, voted against it.
Gordon, meanwhile, said the need for a plan is immediate.
"Tennesseans are losing jobs at an unprecedented rate and the situation only seems to be getting worse. From November to December, over 15,000 Tennesseans lost their jobs," he said in a statement released to the Times-Gazette. "I am not going to sit back and watch workers and their families struggle, especially if we can intervene to improve the situation."
According to The Associated Press, the bill would provide over the next two fiscal years $1.2 billion in aid to Tennessee's state budget, $613.1 million for highways and bridges, $62.5 million for mass transit, $954,000 for other rail, $84 million for wastewater treatment and sewers, $13.5 million for low income energy assistance, $347.6 million for school modernization, renovation and repair, $13.8 million for Head Start, and $18.5 million for education technology grants.
Evans cited several specific examples of what he called pork barrel spending in the bill:
* $4 billion for neighborhood stabilization groups, which Evans said included "the left-wing ACORN group."
* $142 billion in education spending which Evans, citing the Heritage Foundation, said would have no economic benefit and which he called "political payback" to the National Education Association, a teachers' union.
* $246 million for what he called "Hollywood tax breaks."
* $24 billion for "green job" projects including carbon-credit pilot programs
* $600 million for universal health care promotion.
"As a conservative Republican, I am challenging Bart Gordon in the 2010 election because the Sixth Congressional District of Tennessee can no longer afford this kind of irresponsible Federal spending," said Evans. "I would have voted NO on today's bill, just like Tennessee Republicans Zach Wamp and Marsha Blackburn, and Tennessee Democrat Jim Cooper."
"Gordon voted against proposed GOP amendments that would have ensured a "true and timely stimulus" by providing tax relief to individuals and businesses. After all, individuals and businesses are the backbone of our economy and it is individuals and businesses that preserve and create jobs -- not the government. The government cannot spend our nation out of economic crisis!"
"The answer to improving the economy is to cut taxes across the board and to cut wasteful government spending."
Gordon defended the bill.
"The Economic Recovery bill we passed will put money in the pockets of working families and create/save 63,000 jobs in Tennessee. In the immediate term, working Tennesseans will get a tax cut and funding will be provided to the state and local governments, which will allow them to continue to make available essential services. The bill also included provisions that will prepare our workforce for the jobs of the future.
"In the days to come as we work with the Senate and President on the final version of the bill, I remain committed to strengthening the bill and ensuring that more and better jobs are created for Tennesseans and the rest of America."